Photographic film holder



Dec. 5, 1950 D. M. GHRIST 2,533,101

PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM HOLDER Filed Aug. 9, 1948 I I 6.2. fia.4.

Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM HOLDER David M. Ghrist, Glendale, Calif.

Application August 9, 1948, Serial No. 43,265

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a photographic film holder and has as its primary object the provision of a holder for exposed photographic films during the developing thereof and which is particularly adapted for use in developing small rectangular films of the type employed in the making of X-ray photographs of the wall of the oral cavity.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character which is adapted to hold a series or multiple of rectangular photographic films whereby a number of such films may be developed at a time.

Another object is to provide a construction in the film holder whereby films will be held therein by abutting contact of opposed edges thereof with the film holder under inherent tension of the films and whereby the positioning of the films in the holder and their removal therefrom will be facilitated, and whereby the films may be so positioned in the holder as to permit of their ready independent removal and replacement.

A further object is to provide a film holder of extremely simple construction and involving no relatively movable parts whereby the holder may be economically produced and will be highly durable by the reason of having no working parts that can get out of order.

With the foregoing objects in View, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the film holder;

Fig. 2 is a view of the holder as seen in side elevation showing it as loaded with a multiple of photographic films;

Fig. 3 is a view in enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a detail in section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates generally a. rack which embodies a pair of parallel elongated side members 6 and 1 here shown as disposed in a vertical position, which members are suitably spaced apart and are connected together and held against spreading relative to each other by end members 8 and 9; the end member 8 being formed in continuation of the lower ends of the side members 6 and I while the end member 9 is formed in continuation of the side member 1 and is formed with an upstanding end flange IO which abuts the side member 5 and is fastened thereto by a spot weld joint H or in any other suitable fashion. The side member 5 extends beyond the end member 9 providing a stem I2 which is formed at its upper end with an outwardly and downwardly extending flange I3, the stem i2 and flange l3 constituting a hanger whereby the rack A may be suspended from the margin of a receptacle or from a drying frame or the like.

In carrying out the invention the side members S and l are formed with inturned marginal flanges, there being flanges I4 and I5 on the member 6 and flanges l6 and H on the member I. The flanges l4 and !5 are continued along the margins of the extended portion [2 to reinforce the latter. The rack side members 6 and I thus constitute parallel channels arranged face to face and spaced apart to provide elongated openings extending between the flanged margins of the opposed channels and afiord access to the space between the side members from each of the opposite sides and throughout the lengths of the rack structure.

The purpose of the flanges l4, l5, l6 and [1 is to provide internal angles a and b along the margins of the member 6 and internal angles (2 and (1 extending along the margins of the member l.

The diagonally disposed angles a-d and b-c constitute means for effecting abutting engagement with the opposed edges of rectangular photographic films B and C; the span between the angles a and d and likewise angles b and 0 being slightly less than the distance between the opposed edges of a fiat photographic film to be engaged thereby so that on positioning a film to extend between the diagonally opposed angles it will necessarily be slightly bent and by reason of the tension thus created outward thrusts will be imposed upon the margins of the film seated in the angles such as to hold the film in position against accidental displacement. The film holder thus formed is made of a length to accommodate a multiple of films as shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time adapt the film holder to a receptacle containing solutions to which the films are to be subjected such as a developer tray, a wash tray, a tray containing a fixing bath and a final rinsing tray; the film holder being adapted to be disposed in the tray in a suspended position with the flange 13 at the upper end thereof in hooked engagement with the rim of the tray.

In event it is desired to provide a film holder of increased capacity it may obviously be increased in length to accommodate any desired number of film units but in order to increase the capacity without increasing the length of the holder a multiple of racks embodying spaced flanged side members may be assembled in a unitary structure as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in which the rack structure A shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is amplified by the addition thereto of a rack structure D comprising spaced side members l8 and I9 corresponding to the side members 6 and 1 and having their lower ends connected by an forming the side member I bent to form the other end member 8, then bent to form the other T side member 6 extending parallel with the side member 7 and to which the flange is connected, then extending the Side member 6 beyond the end member 9 to form the stem l2 and finally bending the other end of the strip to form the flange i3. The side flanges ld- -EE and lS-i'i are formed on the strip before bending thereof with the flanges l6il' terminating at the end members, and the flanges l-lt terminating at the end member 8 and adjacent the flange i3.

' In the operation of the invention the photographic films to be developed, which may comprise a single film or a multiple of films within the capacity of the rack, are positioned in the latter by inserting the films one at a time between the side members 6 and i and disposing one edge ofthe inserted film in one of the angles a, b, c or d then fiexing the film to bring the opposed margin thereof in seating engagement with the angle diagonally opposed to the angle to which the other edge of the film is seated; the

film on being released tending to straighten under its inherent tension so as to exert outward thrust on the seated edges thereof thereby frictionally engaging the film and holding it against accidental displacement. However the film is subject to being shifted longitudinally of the rack when engaged thereby should occasion so desire since its engaged edges are slidably supported in the opposed angles with which the edges abut.

The insertion and removal of adjacent films may be facilitated by supporting one film in the angles a=-b and the adjacent film in the angles bc as particularly shown in Fig. 3.

When the films are disposed in the rack they may be readily sujected to the liquid baths employed in the developing process by suspending the rack from the margin of the tray or tank containing the developing, fixing and washing liquids as before described.

Drying of the films in the rack may be readily effected by suspending the latter from a drying frame or other support Where the film may be subjected to the drying action of air currents induced by a blower in the usual fashion.

The film holder may also be employed in sup porting photographic X-ray films while being studied and referred to by operators.

Removal of the films from the rack may be readily effected by grasping the upper and lower margins of the film from the convex side thereof and withdrawing it from the rack; the film flexing so that one of its engaged margins will be pulled free of the angle with which it was en.- ga'ged thus freeing the film for withdrawal from the rack. Mounting of the films in the rack, adjustment of the mounted films lengthwise of the rack, and removal of the films from the rack may be readily efiected from either side of the rack through the elongated openings extending between the margins of the channel side members 6 and 1; the openings permitting insertion and removal of a single film at any desired point intermediate the ends of the rack and whereby a selected film may be removed from the midst of a group of films without disturbing adjacent films. Each film mounted in the rack is independently held in place by reason of the frictional engagement of opposed edges of the film with the rack so that a film may be supported in the rack at any point throughout the length thereof.

While I have shown and described specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. In a holder for rectangular pieces of a photographic n m, apair of spaced apart parallel elongated side members having straight parallel longitudinal margins, an end member connecting end portions of said side members, another end member connecting said side members at portions thereof spaced from the first named end member, said end members holding said side members in their spaced relation against spread ing relative to each other, each of said side members being arranged with its straight parallel side margins arranged opposite the margins of the other side members, and inturned parallel flanges on the side margins of each of said side members having edges opposing and spaced from the edges of the flanges on the other side mem her, said flanges extending parallel to each other and forming diagonally opposed film engaging angles along the internal marginal portions of said side members for frictionally holding opposed margins of fiexed photographic films interposed between said diagonally opposed angles.

2-. In a holder for rectangular pieces of photographic film, a pair of spaced apart parallel elongated side members having straight parallel longitudinal margins, an end member connecting end portions of said side members together formed in continuation of adjacent ends thereof, another end member formed in continuation or one only of said side members and abutting and fixed to the other side member connecting said side members at portions thereof spaced from the first named end member, said end members holding said side members in their spaced rela tion against spreading relative to each other,

each of said side members being arranged with.

its straight parallel side margins arranged opposite the margins of the other side members, and inturned parallel fiang'es on the side margins of each of said side members having edges 0pposing and spaced from the edges of the flanges on the other side member, said fianges extending parallel to each other and forming diagonally opposed fil'm engaging angles along the internal marginal portions of said side members for frictionally holding opposed margins of flexed photographic films interposed between said diagonally oppcsed angler DAVID M. GI-IRIST.

CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,054,707 Martens Mar. 4, 1913 2,121,225 Ghrist June 21, 1938 

